Former Partick Thistle player denies pushing girlfriend down stairs

A former Partick Thistle footballer told a jury today he did not push his girlfriend down stairs.

22-year old Jai Quitongo admitted pulling 22-year old Lauren Smith by her hood during an argument outside her house, but denied assaulting her.

He told jurors at Glasgow Sheriff Court he had gone out to "enjoy himself" as he wasn't playing a lot of games for Partick Thistle at the time.

Quitongo is on trial charged with assaulting Miss Smith which caused her to have a serious injury and permanent disfigurement.

It is alleged Quitongo dragged Miss Smith by her clothing, causing her to fall down stairs and injure her wrists.

He is also accused of pushing Miss Smith against a door and seizing hold of her neck. He denies these charges.

Quitongo was also alleged to have acted in a threatening and abusive manner towards Miss Smith but that charge was withdrawn by procurator Lucy Adams at the end of the Crown case.

The court heard the pair were out at Sanctuary night club in Glasgow’s west end last December.

Quitongo said: "I didn't drink, but I wasn't playing much at Partick Thistle and I wanted to enjoy myself."

He later got into an argument with Miss Smith’s ex-boyfriend at the nightclub and they had to be separated.

Miss Smith and Quitongo got separate taxis to her home address in Glasgow’s Carmyle area.

Quitongo told jurors that Miss Smith was "annoyed" and shouted at him for leaving her alone at the nightclub.

He claimed they argued loudly for around five minutes before Quitongo warned Miss Smith that the neighbours were watching.

Quitongo added: "She shouted that she didn’t care. Then I took a hold of her hood.

"I grabbed the hood from the side and pulled her towards the close, I wouldn’t say I dragged her but I pulled her."

Quitongo claimed Miss Smith fell to the ground at the top step of the close.

He added that she shoved him out of the way when he tried to pick her up.

Quitongo said: "Lauren said don’t touch me and then she shot off - she ran."

He claimed he apologised and went after her, when she fell down another set of steps at the end of the close and landed on her wrists.

Quitongo said: "I ran to her and when I got to her I said 'Lauren, Lauren' and she started crying.

"She was face down and my initial reaction was that she hurt herself.

"I picked her up by the armpits and she said 'My wrists, my wrists'."

Quitongo said he got her inside and sat her on the couch in the living room before neighbours arrived and told him to leave.

Prosecutor Ms Adams asked Quitongo if he changed after taking alcohol, he replied: "I’m the same as everyone, I’m more careless."

He was asked why he was calm when his girlfriend was injured and replied: "People that know me know I’m very relaxed and chilled out."

The trial continues before Sheriff Lindsay Wood.